Why You Procrastinate: Three Traps And How To Escape Them

A nine-minute Stoic talk for the days when you know what needs doing and still cannot begin. It examines three common procrastination traps: the inner critic and perfectionism that make starting feel risky, the mistake of waiting for motivation instead of committing to the first few minutes, and the professional mindset that treats action as a commitment rather than a mood. The aim is to make beginning smaller and more deliberate. Listen when you are avoiding an important task, then choose the first few minutes and start before you feel ready.

Transcript

Okay, Before we dive into this talk, I want to ask you a quick question. What inspired you to listen to this in the first place? What inspired you to click on this? I'm guessing you're here because you want to start finishing those projects that have been on your to-do list forever. Maybe you're a student who always waits until the last minute to submit assignments. Or perhaps you have creative dreams but feel like you're not living up to your potential. But before we go any further, Think back to the moment just before you clicked on this track. That was a moment of non-procrastination. That was a decision you made to dive straight in and begin. And so for the starting point of this talk, I want to try and convince you that you are already an expert at starting. You know already how to beat procrastination. You just need to apply this skill to the right tasks. You can read all the books on procrastination, Listen to a thousand podcasts, Hire a personal coach, And watch endless YouTube videos on how to deal with procrastination. But the truth is, There's only one real way to beat it. Suck it up and get on with it. It might sound harsh, But at the end of the day, That's really what it always comes down to. It's like dieting. A lot of people know exactly what they need to do to lose weight. Cut calories, Exercise more, To simplify things. But they don't want to deal with the discomfort of being hungry. I get it. Being in a state of hunger is not exactly pleasant. And it comes with a lot of trade-offs, Which is why I'm currently not walking around with an 8-pack right now. If you find this direct approach frustrating, I hear you. Being told what to do is one thing, But knowing how to do it is another. So we all know what we need to do, But the challenge is always how do we make it happen? Let's talk about the critic trap. One of the main reasons people procrastinate is what I call the critic trap. I see this all the time in my clients who want to start a blog, A podcast, Or any creative project. Think about this. Could the best film critics in the world become amazing movie directors? Sure, Some could. But most would end up making films they would personally give a low score to. Why? Because the part of our brain that criticizes is different from the part that creates. This is why Ernest Hemingway famously said, Quote, Write drunk, Edit sober, End quote. When we consume media and critique other's work, We might think we're becoming more skilled, But the truth is, Watching every season of Masterchef won't make your cooking any better. The problem is that our inner critic grows strong and confident while our creative side remains small and vulnerable. This creates a battle within us where our powerful critic overshadows our timid, Childlike creative spirit. As beginners, Nothing we create will match up to the masterpieces we've observed. The fear that our own work won't live up to our expectations is the root cause of procrastination. We fear finding out that we might not be as good as we think we are. The solution, And the only solution there is, Is to just start. The only real way to overcome procrastination is to start. I know that sounds simple, But it's true. However, There are a few techniques that can make starting a little bit easier. The first one is the few minutes principle. British psychologist Professor Richard Wiseman, In his book 59 Seconds, Explains a research-backed way to overcome initial procrastination. He suggests that procrastinators often delay starting tasks because they feel overwhelmed by the size of the job. But if they can convince themselves to work on a task for just a few minutes, They often find an urge to see it through to completion. This principle isn't groundbreaking, But the science behind it gives it credibility. I use this technique constantly. It's not the complete solution for all types of procrastination, But it does get you started, Which is nearly always the hardest part. You can modify the few minutes principle to essentially telling yourself you're just going to do a little bit of whatever it is you want to do. I remember the first year or two of jiu-jitsu. I used to get a little bit nervous when I was driving to the gym. Sometimes my body would be beaten up and bruised, But I knew that just showing up would always be the most important part. So sometimes there would be an hour of training. The entire training session might be sparring, Five minute rounds. I would tell myself that I was going to go and do three rounds. That would be about 15 minutes. If I wanted to go home after that point, Fine. I've now just done 15 minutes of sparring. That is so much better than just staying home. That was my attempt to modify the few minutes principle. Sometimes I actually did leave after 15 minutes and I was fine with that. Other times I would stay for the full hour. If you are going to implement the few minutes principle, You've got to truly allow yourself to only do things for a few minutes if you feel like. There's nothing wrong with that. You're just training yourself to start, To start. I sometimes do the same thing with meditation. I may have an hour long guided meditation that I want to do, But I'll tell myself, I'm going to just do five or ten minutes. If I want to keep going, I will, But if I don't after that point, That's fine too. The next principle is that of turning pro. So another powerful mindset shift that comes from Steven Pressfield's classic book, The War of Art. Pressfield talks about turning pro. The idea that the amateur waits for inspiration while the professional creates regardless of how they feel. Pressfield argues that a strong work ethic is more important than waiting for a muse. He says, Quote, The most important thing about art is to work. Nothing else matters except sitting down every day and trying. In the real world, You wouldn't keep your job if you only worked when you felt inspired. The same applies to your creative projects. If you want to be your own boss, You have to manage your own inner worker. You can't sit around waiting for inspiration, Waiting for the perfect person to come into your life. You just have to move forward. Imagine you were paying yourself by the hour. What would and wouldn't you accept from yourself? The third and final tip to overcome procrastination comes from the phrase, Learn on the job. I used to struggle with this a lot. So another trap that well-intentioned creatives fall into is the belief that research equals work. It doesn't. The more you know, The more you realize how much you don't know. But no matter how much research you do, You'll never be truly, Fully prepared for anything. The only solution, Really, Is to start on the job. You can read 50 books on boxing, But nothing will prepare you for getting punched in the face. You can read 100 books on jiu-jitsu, But nothing will prepare you for getting pinned while you're exhausted and you see 3 minutes left on the clock. You can watch dozens of parenting courses, But nothing will prepare you for the responsibility and high stakes, High pressure situation that looking after a child can create. So instead of trying to plan out every detail of your creative journey, Just start now and adjust as you go. You'll be more motivated to learn when you're actually doing the work and facing real challenges. As Steven Pressfield says, Start before you're ready. You can't plan your way to a masterpiece. The key is to begin, Then course correct as you move forward. So let's recap. Procrastination isn't about laziness, It's about fear, Perfectionism and the critic inside your head. But you have the power to overcome it. Use the few minutes principle to get started, Adopt the mindset of a professional and learn as you go. Remember, The quality of your work will improve over time, But it will only happen if you start. Don't wait for the perfect moment, Because it will never come. The best time to start is now. Thank you for listening, And if you're ready to take action, Go ahead and put these ideas into practice. Get up, Get started and keep going. Your future self will thank you. And remember, As with anything worth doing, The journey begins with the first step. Don't let procrastination hold you back from achieving your goals. You've got this.

Reviews

Great stuff and lovely to hear a Welsh accent on here 😊

Perfect! I have procrastinated my whole life. My father was an artist and when I was younger, I dabbled and enjoyed and didn’t criticize my work. But as I got older, I criticized my work and then never started again. I have all the tools of the trade! Your talk has encouraged me to get my supplies ready to go and then begin a little at a time. Thank you!

Good brief guide with good, actionable suggestions to promote change.

Needed to hear this real talk. It was revealing! I’ve always heard the mindset that creates the problem is not the same mindset that resolves it. It makes a lot of sense. 🙏🏻

Thank you. I'm feeling better because of your positive talk and suggestions.